


Mask

by DaHyoSaYeon



Series: Twice Horror One Shots [4]
Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Body Horror, Character Death, Creepy, Don't Judge Me, Fucked Up, Horror, I Don't Even Know, Mary Sue, Mindfuck, Minor Violence, Psychological Trauma, Spooky, Trauma, Violence, What Have I Done, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 18:33:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17105954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaHyoSaYeon/pseuds/DaHyoSaYeon
Summary: A one-shot featuring 2/3 of the J-Line and everyone's favourite fake maknae.





	Mask

**Author's Note:**

> We got spooks. We got mean girls. We got close friends and stuff.
> 
> Tags are difficult.
> 
> Holy shit, strap yourself in for something fucked up.
> 
> Legitimately, this takes a sharp turn onto "What The Fuck M8?" Street and sets up a fucking lemonade stand. (Maybe I'm overreacting a bit)
> 
> That being said, enjoy.

Rain lashed at the windows of the bus, thunder rolled in the distance accompanied by occassional flashes of light. You were seated between a sleeping Sana and a knitting Mina, how she managed to keep her work straight in a moving vehicle you'll never know. It had been an early start to the day, as was the norm recently, from TV Asahi appearances and then back to various promotions in Korea, your schedules were packed; a 3:43am flight to Belgium, followed by a baggage mix up at the airport and a 3 hour drive to the filming location only added to your absolute menace of a headache. You pulled out your phone every 10 or so minutes to watch as cellphone reception grew steadily worse until there was none at all, even switching to 4G seemed to do about as much as dropping a glass of water into the ocean, but who could blame you for trying? 

Sana's head rolled into your shoulder, jolting her to consciousness, with a wide yawn and a series of blinks, she seemed to perk up at the scenery.

"Hmmmmorning, isn't it pretty?" She asked sweetly, wiping away the fog on the window.

"I suppose so. Just wish we didn't have to leave home, again" You complained, trying in vain one last time to get a signal.

"It's not so bad, you know?"

Sana didn't bother waiting for a rebuttal and returned her attention to the scenery, which was gradually changing from dark green woods and fields to snow covered hills; slowly the other members were coming to life, a chorus of yawns and 'good mornings'.

"Does anyone know where we're going?" Asked Nayeon from the front of the bus

"Somewhere" was Jeongyeon's answer

"Maybe were filming another Twice TV or something" said Chae, who too had just finished checking her phone's lack of signal.

A few minutes later the bus slowed to a stop outside a massive metal gate, it's thick black iron bars latticed together with brass accents barred access to a once well worn rode now overtaken by nature; one of the film crew appeared near the gate and unlocked the large padlock that secured a set of heavy chains. After a short struggle with the gates, they were open and all that lay ahead of the bus was a shoddy road and trees, lots and lots of trees.

"Hey Chae, what does that sign say?" Asked Momo, pointing to a faded and rusted over sign near the gate

Chaeyoung was silent for a moment, a look of deep concentration splayed across her face.

"I think it says Chateau something, Miranda, I think" 

A knock at the window caused everyone to jump, outside stood one of the directors from the film crew; he was an older man, brow furrowed from years of squinting at small screens, scrutinising every small detail down to the light reflecting off of an extra's glasses in an establishing shot of a busy street. He motioned for Jeongyeon to open the window, which she did.

"What can I do you for, chief?" She asked

"Morning, morning. Sorry about the early start but it took forever to get our hands on this building..." The director trailed off, realising that no one was really interested in the details of this poorly timed trip "Anyway, we've got something really fun planned for the new season of Twice TV"

The director said his goodbyes and waved the driver on. The bus engine revved loudly before it lurched up the path, it's ascent was slow but steady, giving the girls plenty of time to theorize what the theme of their new show would be.

"I can't imagine there's anything too exciting in an old chateu" yawned Mina, in a very matter of fact tone "Maybe we get lucky and it's haunted"

"Well, we won't know until we get there, right?" Jihyo offered, adding "Besides, everywhere else we've been has been fun, this won't be different"

The Chateau was still a distance away, so, with your leader's words in your head, you drifted off to sleep, Sana's hand clutched in your own. 

After some time, you weren't really sure how long you had slept but it wasn't enough, you had been woken up by Sana gently blowing in your ear and giggling like a schoolgirl: you rolled your eyes at her, trying to hide the smile that crept across your face, she pointed out the window at the building. It's centuries old exterior consisted of stone and brick held together by moss covered mortar, the roof was missing a few shingles in places and overall, it didn't look very inviting; the scent of damp, ages old wood hung in the air.

"Well, it's something" Mina mumbled next to you, now packing her knitting away.

For some reason, her tone really pissed you off and the fact that you hadn't slept well for the last few days, caused your blood pressure to rise. You spun around in your seat to face her, causing Sana to jump in suprise at your rapid motion.

"What's your deal Myoui?" You snapped, eyes narrowed "Can't you fucking lighten up for once?"

"Excuse me, who do you think you are?" She hissed back "Show some respect, child" 

The emphasis on that last word damn near sent you into a full on rage meltdown, thankfully before it could reach that point, Jihyo popped her head through the bus door.

"Everyone else is already waiting....is everything okay back there?" She enquired, looking from Mina's curled lip to your red cheeks "Is there something we need to talk about, as a group?"

"No, nothing worth getting upset over. We'll be out there now" answered Mina, emphasis on the 'nothing', while looking directly at you.

Jihyo have her a stern look and said, with a hint of warning in her voice:

"Mina"

"Alright!" Shouted Mina as she stormed off the bus, throwing one more dirty look your way before exiting 

Your interaction with Mina left you shaking with rage, granted it had been you who snapped first but it had been her constant whining and complaining about the trip, the group's schedule and most of all, her utter distate for you, that had been the major factors in your aggressive attitude with her. 

It had been quite the shock to find yourself selected as the tenth member of an established and talented group, barely having trained for more than three months and, in your own eyes, shockingly average in almost every way. 

The day had begun as any other, with you awaking at the crack of dawn and heading downstairs to wolf down a meal before heading out to yet another training session. One more step in 'becoming the idol you had always dreamt of becoming' was what you had told yourself that day and countless days before; you were about to leave the dorms to head towards your life's purpose when your phone buzzed. You pulled your somewhat battered phone from your purse and were surprised to see a text, not from a friend, but from management; your blood ran cold as you shakily read the message, dread washing over you as you took in the three words on the screen:

"STUDIO. TEST TODAY"

The test, it turns out, was a vocal performance for the boss himself; his piercing, reptilian gaze had you on the verge of passing out but you persevered and earned yourself an unbelievable reward. A spot in Twice. The transition was rough at first as the public felt another member wasn't necessary for Twice's further success and, more importantly, a few members were not happy with the subtle hint from management that they were not good enough to continue as nine. As with all things emotional, anger and scorn turned to acceptance and even love, save for Nayeon and Mina, who even now, two comebacks later, harboured a certain resentment towards you; both were professional enough to keep their discontent private. They had mastered the art of turning even the most minor mistake, be it in song or dance, into a personal attack. There were times when you wanted to quit, but the other members treated you like family and people fight in any family; Jihyo in particular, being the leader she was born to be, looked out for you, stepping into arguments before they could escalate to dangerous levels.

Sat in the bus watching Mina leave, seeing her blatant hatred for you plastered on her face, for the first time, you felt the same thing towards her. The girl on your left, let out a small gasp of pain which caused you to look at her, then down at your hands which were slowly crushing her fingers in your anger fuelled grip; you hurriedly released Sana's hand and apologized profusely, to which she replied:

"It's...okay. I understand how you feel. I was jealous of Mina too when we were on Sixteen" 

"I am not jealous of Mina Myoui, not by a long shot and you shouldn't be either...you're ten times the woman she could ever be"

With your comment hanging in the air and your purse tucked under your arm, you departed from the warm interior of the bus and into the frigid air; the cold nipped at your skin, specifically your nose, causing you to tear up which in turn froze, making it seem as if you had been crying. The rest of your group, sans Sana who was still on the bus, were gathered around the entrance to the chateau having casual conversations amongst each other; Mina, who you made sure to stay away from, was huddled next to Nayeon, arm around each other, in deep discussion. The two quickly ended their conversation as you approached, Nayeon standing to greet you.

"Morning, sleep well?" she asked, feigning niceness 

"Could have been better. You?"

"You know how it goes" she said, flashing a smile before growing serious in tone and expression "Your life wouldn't be so difficult if you just showed people respect where it's deserved"

The look on your face must have been exactly what she wanted from this interaction, she smirked as she brushed the hair out of your face and tapped your cheeks hard.

"There's nothing to cry about sweetie. Toughen up, you'll live longer" she said with a callous laugh as she returned to her place at Mina's side.

Just one more thing added to the ever growing list of personal attacks from the two of them. You eyed the two of them suspiciously, waiting for something to be said, waiting for another undeserved insult, instead they shared whispered comments between each other, undoubtedly about you; satisfied with ruining your morning, Nayeon and Mina strutted off, arm in arm, to join the group, leaving you standing alone in the cold, snow covered courtyard. An arm around your waist and kiss on your cheek followed by the unmistakable laugh of Sana, helped to both calm you down and brighten your mood, even if only slightly; no one could stay upset while she was around.

"Hey babe, don't let them get to you" she said, imitating the stereotypical greaser accent, badly. 

"Too late Sana, where were you when I needed you, huh?" You teased

You would never get your answer as a manager called you over to the group; it was time to start working. With Sana's arm still around your waist, you both rejoined your group mates and entered the Chateau; your attention on Mina and Nayeon the whole time, much to Sana's exasperation.

Once inside the building, you could fully appreciate how well crafted the interior was, dark woods mixed blended with aged marble, elegantly designed staircases lead from the foyer up to a second floor; under the thick layer of dust that coated every inch of the floor, you could see luxurious fur and richly textured rugs covering dark, oak flooring. Countless paintings hung on the walls, many too faded to see clearly except for a large portrait of a woman, who you assumed was the lady of the manor; on closer inspection, you noted her porcelain skin, her harsh yet refined make up and her opulent gown with it's high collared neck, vibrant red colour and numerous buttons and baubles. One characteristic that stuck out to you was the lady's uncanny resemblance to Mina.

"Great, as if her princess complex needed another boost" you thought, running your fingers along the bottom of the gold laced frame

The director's voice boomed out across the room, a small red megaphone augmenting his volume; he was standing next to a long, cherry wood table with various papers, cameras and recording devices scattered about its surface.

"If you'd all come here, we'll go over the schedule for today" he said, motioning the group over.

When all members were present and accounted for, the director began going over the events of the day while handing out folded papers to each member.

"Welcome to Chateau Miranda, we were lucky enough to get our hands on it for three days as it's being demolished next month. Anyway, enough of that. The reason we're all gathered here is to film a special edition of TT, that's right, a music video featuring your newest member and-"

"That's it?" Interjected Nayeon "The reason why we were dragged out here to some run down European hell hole of an estate, in the freezing cold, is because of HER?"

"Nayeon, now is not the time!" Shouted Jihyo, a scowl shadowing her beautiful face "We're working, so you need to cool off until this is over with" 

Your glorious leader apologized to the director for both Nayeon's outburst and her own. She shot Nayeon a disappointed glare as she she bowed to the director and film crew; Nayeon half bowed in apology, refusing to meet Jihyo's eyes.

"Not to worry, I sympathize with you all, it can't be conducive to a healthy lifestyle to be whisked about the world at a moment's notice, but I digress" the director said with a chuckle "Before we film the aforementioned music video, we thought it would make for a fun Twice TV mini series, if we split the group and had each team participate in a ghost hunt of sorts"

"Are there supposed to be ghosts here?" Momo asked

"Apparently this place is haunted by numerous spirits and devils and whatnot, the most well known being Lady Miranda, the woman in the painting by the stairs. Not that we expect anyone to find anything, it's just for fun" answered the director "Now, if you would all open the papers I gave you and join the members with the same letter as yourself, we can get started"

There was much fumbling and kerfuffling about as everyone separated into groups, five in one team and four in another. Your heart sank when you opened the paper to see a large B written on it, the universe was playing a cruel joke on you, you were just a pawn in some sick, twisted cosmic game; you were in the group of four, as was Mina, Nayeon and Sana. As much as you agreed with Jihyo about being professional during work hours, it was going to be next to impossible for you to act as if nothing had happened that morning and play happy family on camera; Sana welcomed you to the group with a tight, warm, loving hug, she would be your protector if either girl tried to mess with you in any way.

"Right, now that everyone is grouped up, nominate a leader and send them up to receive a camera" said the director, doing his job of directing

Jihyo was group A's obvious choice and she trotted up to receive the offered camera, it was an older model of digital camcorder that looked well worn after years of use; Jihyo turned it on and gave the room a sweep, happy with the device, she returned to her group where she and the others awaited your group's choice. Nayeon. stepped forward, only to have Mina push you to the front instead; Nayeon gave her a sly look before putting her hand on your lower back and pushing you towards the director's outstretched hand. You walked over, conscious of every eye in the room focused on you; the air was suddenly stifling, your legs felt like jelly, the hand you extended to take the camcorder shook as if the tremors came not from your body but from an earthquake rocking the foundations of the building. 

As if it were made of gold, you took the camera from the director and gently opened the small screen on the side, raising the camera to film your group; Mina's attitude switched on a dime, her dour expression was now one of pureness and airy friendliness. Nayeon retained her demeanor, although that fit her character well enough, being the 'bitchy' one was her role in the group after all. 

"Hurry up, this team isn't complete with you, Captain" shouted Mina playfully, throwing a twist of aegyo in at the end.

Shakily, you shut the camera and took your place at Sana's side, ready to start what would be a very stressful three days. Seventy two hours with Mina and Nayeon, trapped in a possibly haunted chateau, surrounded by moldy walls and dank air. As you stood arm in arm with Sana, you barely paid attention to the instructions from the director; lost in your thoughts, you barely registered the large black shadow clinging to Mina's shoulders, breathing down her neck. Your eyes widened in terror and you dug your nails into Sana's arm causing her to wince.

"Sana..." You stammer

"Hm?" She whispers back

"Do you see it too?"

"See what?"

"The thing by Mina"

"No?"

"Are you sure?"

"Do you need to lay down or something?"

"I hope so, I really hope so"

"What are you seeing?"

You hesitated for a moment, making sure that you weren't just losing your mind due the stress of the morning; you raised the camera for Sana to see, only for the black smoke shadow to no longer be in the shot, in fact, it was nowhere to be seen. Sana tightened her grip on your arm and gave you a concerned look, her big brown eyes fraught with worry.

"Take it easy, okay?" She said

You responded with a nod and a weak smile, the image of the shadows clinging to Mina were etched into your mind; you opened the camera once more and focused it on the group, perhaps hoping to catch another glimpse of it. Eyes focused on the background, you spied what appeared to be the train of a ball gown, deep red and torn, flitting past a corner by a large stained glass window. For fear of sounding like a crazy person, or worse, like you were scared by the claim that ghosts haunt the halls, you remained silent and closed the camera; the sooner you were out of this crumbling hell gate, the better.

"Alright, group A, you're going to the upper East wing where the lady of the house had her fateful fall" the director said, with a pause for dramatic effect "And group B, you have the pleasure of exploring the West wing. Most recently used as an orphanage for sickly children, it's where...the Nurse is said to haunt, always looking for another child to care for"

After bowing and thanking the crew of their hard work, Jihyo lead her group up the stairs and towards the East wing, leaving group B standing in the foyer; without looking at either Nayeon or Mina, you took Sana by the hand and headed to the former orphanage, dreading every step you took. Sana stuck close to you as the two of you grew closer and closer to the abandoned orphanage wing; your unease only grew as relatively well maintained walls and floors gave way to dirty, slightly rotted wood, the walls bare of decoration and what little paint adorned the walls was flaked and altogether missing in places. You looked over your shoulder and were somewhat relieved to find the other half of your group following behind, even if at a distance; Nayeon caught your eye and gave you a dismissive look as she spoke with Mina in hushed tones. The silence was becoming too much for your liking.

"So, do we all believe this place is haunted or no?" You asked the group

"It'd be fun if it was but also scary because we're all alone here" Sana said, still clinging tightly to you

"Oohh, it's so fucking spooky here, I'm so scared" Nayeon said, acting like a ghost to ridicule your fear

"Stop Nayeon, she's going to cry again" Mina added in mock pity "She's ugly when she cries, I don't need to see that"

As you walked across the creaking, rotten wood flooring with Sana basically attached to you at the hip, something tall, black and hazy hung in the air at the end of the hall; Sana stopped dead which caused you to stumble and in turn caused Mina to bump into you.

"Hey, watch it you-" she started but fell silent as her eyes found the thing at the end of the hall.

You tried to speak, tried to ask the others if they all saw what you saw, but found yourself paralyzed with fear; the thing drifted between the beams of light shining through the dirty, dusty windows, it's form was both physical but at the same time gaseous, terrifyingly real and supernatural. As it passed through the sunlight, it's form dispersed and the reformed in the shadows, blacker than the darkest ink, frigid air radiating off it's form; impossibly, the floor boards creaked under its non-existant weight, it's phantom boots creating hollows in the soft wood with each footfall. It grew ever nearer, your chest ached with dread, your heart pounded against your ribcage threatening to split you in two, the pain in your arm from Sana digging her nails into your skin was barely registered as the thing was now within touching distance.

"Is...is this...a joke?" Nayeon choked out "It has to be...it has to be"

The air became so cold it burnt your skin, it was as if frostbite were setting in causing your limbs to ache, as the shadow slowly enveloped the area surrounding the group; all light disappeared, you were effectively blind, trapped inside a narrow hallway with an unknown entity wrapping thick black tentacles of shadow around your arms and neck, crushing your throat in it's grasp. You vision became two pinpricks of light, you struggled against the phantom tendrils that promised to rip you into quarters; blindly you thrashed about trying to free yourself from what you fully believed to be a demon, in your fight for survival you made contact with another body, a warm body. You latched onto whoever it was, pulling and squirming for dear life. Through the inky blackness the faint sound of splintering wood pierced the veil and, a moment later, you found yourself tumbling through the darkness, further and further down you fell, as though this house were made of millions of floors; suddenly, unexpectedly, your descent was stopped by a large, sharp pile of rubble.

For what felt like hours, you laid there in the rubble breathing heavily. The only sound keeping you company in the pitch black was your rapid heartbeat, your pulse pounded in your ears, your stomach ached from the adrenaline rush of fighting for your life; once the nausea subsided enough for you to move without feeling like your were about to throw up, you tried to stand. Pain shot through your left side, sending you back to the floor in a quivering heap; somehow, during your encounter with evil, you had never released your grip on the camera and by use of the night vision mode, you located the source of your agony: a piece of rebar stuck out of your flank, twisted and deadly sharp. In a moment of clarity, you remembered the person you had grabbed onto just as you fell; as softly as you could and using the camera to see, you called out:

"Sana...Mina...Nayeon?"

A sound to your left drew your attention, through the camera you could see a shape, a body. It was moving. You recognised the clip in their hair.

"Nayeon, help me" you whispered

She could only manage a pained moan.

You looked down at your side, a large patch of dark told you how dire the situation was for you; you could only hope Nayeon was able to help you. With a slowness, the kind of movement your body forces on you when you're in pain, Nayeon fumbled around in her attempts to find you, feeling around in the dark for moments that seemed like days, before you came to your senses and used the light of the camera to guide her to your wounded form; in the small screen, you could make out various cuts and scrapes along Nayeon's face, hands and body, she had suffered a particularly deep cut along her right cheek. It would definitely scar. 

"Thank God. I thought I'd die alone here in the dark" She whispered "Can you stand at all?"

You handed Nayeon the camera and pointed to your wound.

"Not with this thing in me. Jesus, it hurts" You moaned "Can you help me up?"

Nayeon eyed the metal bar poking out of your side, shifting the camera to her other hand and crouching down. She ran her fingers along your side, trying to assess the damage; in the dim light from the camera, your gazes met, her eyes gave away what was on her mind. Still Nayeon offered her hand, which you grasped firmly. Her grip tightened on your hand and with an enormous effort, started the slow and agonizing removal of your body from the rubble. You gritted your teeth in an attempt not to cry out as you felt each and every single ridge of the mangled rebar rip its way through your insides, every inch of metal burned like a red hot poker, your nerves were on fire; with a sickening squish, you were pulled free from your death trap. Instinctively your hands rushed to put pressure on your, now freely bleeding, wound; the pain was beginning to subside but you were unsure if it was due to your body's natural pain killers or severe blood loss. The loss of feeling in your fingers lead you to believe the latter. 

"Nayeon...bandages...quick" you pleaded quietly

Without a moment's hesitation, Nayeon pulled off her sweater and ripped it into two long lengths of fabric which she tied around your waist, slowing the steady flow the blood; ignoring her own battered body, Nayeon pulled you up, supporting you on her shoulder and together you moved in what you hoped was the right direction. The camera in her free hand, Nayeon pointed it in different directions, searching for your other group members; she lead you without a plan, without a sense of direction, something had caused her to move you away from where you had fallen, very quickly. 

"What's....going on?" You asked, hoping for a chance to breathe

"I think I...saw some stairs...over there" she huffed, struggling to drag you along 

Her next words caused your legs to give out underneath you, the world closing in around the two young girls trapped in the basement of a haunted murder castle.

"Something else is down here with us"

In the dark, the pitch black, an inhuman sound emanated from an unknown location in your immediate vicinity; it, the thing, groaned as if it hadn't moved in millenia, each breath rattled like bone chimes in a gale, each tendon snapping into place echoed through the basement a hundred times over. Nayeon yanked you to your feet, ignoring your cry of pain as she forced you to sprint towards the stairs; the camera bounced about wildly, the two of you were running practically blind towards a set of stairs that lead to an unknown destination. 

The thing, it, the beast, the creature, was gaining on you, it's form slapping wetly against the stone, splashing hot liquid against your legs and back; as you reached the stairs, Nayeon threw you up the first three or so steps, pushing you up as fast as she could. A heavy iron banded door stood in between you and potential safety; fighting your burning lungs and screaming insides, you charged at the door and threw your whole weight against it, sending it crashing open. Nayeon tumbled out after you, scrambling to push the door closed as the thing's weight landed against the wood, forcing the door open; with your back against the door, struggling against the strength of some unnatural creation. The sound of running steps sent your body into overdrive, the adrenaline was beginning to make you sick, you simply could not handle whatever was coming towards you. As you braced for the end, your eyes cracked open an inch to see none other than Mina rushing towards the door, she too threw herself against the door and together, the three of you managed to force the door shut; the thing seemed to dissipate at the closing of the door, it's sounds fading into nothing within seconds. The sound of a struggle against an infernal, insidious creature most foul, was replaced by the heavy, pained breathing of three exhausted, young women.

"Did you see...it?" Mina asked, her voice shaking with fear

"No, but it saw us" answered Nayeon 

 

You were in far too much pain to add to their exchange, your side was burning far worse than before; you lifted the bandages to assess the damage and immediately regretted doing so. Where the metal had exited your side, the skin had blackened and cracked, yellow interlaced with green in a state of advanced decay, as if death itself had laid it's hand against your flesh; you fought the urge to puke but lost. A boiling hot torrent of sour liquid erupted from your mouth, causing both girls to recoil in disgust. You murmured a half baked apology and focused on trying to replace the bandages in the least painful way possible, seeing stars at the mere contact of a finger brushing against the dying skin; the longer you spent laid against the door, the worse the situation felt. Mina slumped down next to you, avoiding your eyes, hands playing with the tops of her socks.

"Mina...Where...is she?" You barely manage to croak "Where is Sana?"

"Do you remember what happened, Nayeon?" 

She was ignoring you.

"Just some black thing and then whatever was down there...does it matter?" She answered "We need to get the fuck out of here, like now"

You tried once more to get an answer from Mina, who seemed to be consciously oblivious to you.

"Where is she?"

"What about her? Mina said, pointing to you "She's hurt. It looks and...smells bad"

"So what?"

"So she needs help. Why don't we go find help for her?" 

Nayeon was silent, mulling over the group's options. She scooted over to you and motioned for you to lift your shirt; Nayeon winced in sympathetic pain at your very dire injury. She signaled for Mina to help her move you away from the door; Mina acquiesced begrudgingly, helping Nayeon to lift you off the floor and into a nearby dining room. Together they laid you down on the table and walked away to talk things over, leaving you to your thoughts and throbbing, necrotized injury.

You weren't sure when or for how long you had been asleep, what you did know was, you were awoken by the sounds of an argument; you opened a weary eye to see Mina and Nayeon entangled in a rough altercation. The older girl was frantically waving her hands around in large, sweeping, exaggerated movements while Mina stood opposite her, arms folded, eyes down. Your eyes drifted down as far as they could, a wave of dark copper hair spilled along the floor from behind a wall; a sick sense of recognition hit you as Sana's fate became clear. The argument grew more vicious, Nayeon's voice raised with each word.

"We've been through this fucking box three times Mina, what more do you want?" 

"There's a way out, I know there is" 

"Then fucking show me please, because I only see one goddamn door and it leads right back to that fucking thing"

"You're getting far too angry Nayeon. You should calm down"

Mina's voice had dropped uncharacteristically deep, it had become threatening, somehow dangerous.

"Angry? I'm so fucking past angry. What's your deal anyway, how are you so fucking calm?" 

Nayeon's question went ignored as Mina turned away from her best friend and crouched near the wall, running her fingers through Sana's hair. 

"She wouldn't shut up either. Wouldn't shut up about HER. Kept crying about being hurt" whispered Mina in that same deep voice "It's so sad that the thing got her, isn't it?"

The other girl took two steps back, sensing something was wrong with Mina. 

"Mina...what happened to her?" Nayeon asked, trembling with fear at the possibility of hearing an answer she already knew.

"She wouldn't shut up. She wouldnt stop crying. She wouldn't stop begging me to stop" hissed Mina, standing up and advancing towards Nayeon

Mina lunged at Nayeon, knocking her to the ground; with a crazed look in her eyes, Mina grabbed the nearest object, a solid silver candlestick and stood above Nayeon.

"Mina...no...please" she begged 

THUNK

The sound of metal against bone, a crack 

"Why...why?" Nayeon moaned weakly

THUNK

A louder crack this time.

"W...w...hy...pl...ease..."

THUNK

A splash of crimson against the nearby walls and furniture.

THUNK

THUNK

THUNK

Silence. Save for the heavy breathing of a murderer and the steady drip of blood from her murder weapon; Mina brushed her hair back, leaving a trail of blood across her face like war paint. The candlestick still gripped tightly in her hand, Mina headed towards your makeshift bed, eyes focused on your face; she knew you had seen everything. 

You tried to fight the pain, tried to force yourself to stand, tried to defy your body's need to rest but failed on all accounts; the most you could accomplish was to wiggle about in a futile attempt to escape. Mina's footsteps grew louder and closer, she was muttering something, almost arguing with herself. You closed your eyes and prepared for the worst.

"How's your side?" Asked Mina softly

You remained silent, hoping in some impossible way that she would be believe you were sleeping. No such luck.

"I found a door, it goes upstairs. We should leave...you and I, together" Mina said as she moved around the table, running her fingers across your thighs.

"Why won't you answer me, baby?"

"Did she just call me 'baby'?" You thought "What the fuck is happening?"

Mina was now standing over you, her face inches from your own, close enough to feel her breath against your skin; your opened your eyes in time to watch as she stuck her tongue out and ran it along your cheek, tasting your sweat. She grabbed your face with her free hand and roughly forced you to look at her, you could see bits of brain in her hair; her eyes were filled with mixed emotions. Mina moved her face even closer, her nose pressing against yours and kissed you. The girl who had been making your life misery for the longest time, the girl who had conspired with her friend to torment you any chance they got, the girl who would use her age and seniority to force you into being subservient to her will, the same girl who had just murdered her best friend and still had her warm blood on her face, was now pressing her lips to your own. Mina broke the kiss and stared down at you with nothing but contempt in her eyes.

"Is this not what you wanted?" She whispered "Did I do something wrong?"

"Mina...what...what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so nervous. I haven't been on a date since my trainee days" she said "They always said I was too forceful"

You saw this as chance to keep her distracted; in her twisted attempt to woo you, Mina had set the candlestick down and you slowly inched your hand towards it.

"Who said that, Mina?" 

"The other girls. I mean, they never turned down Sana, always willing to do whatever she wanted but not with me, never with perfectly put together, rich girl Mina" she whined 

"That's...that's unfair of them..."

"When I walked into the practice room today and saw Momo all over Chaeyoung, it upset me so much. Why was everyone else okay to fuck but I had to be left out?" 

Mina had mentioned the practice room. The last time anyone had been to practice was over a week ago. Your fingers brushed against the blood stained silver of the candlestick, you had to keep her busy. An idea popped into your head, maybe you could use her diminished mental state to distract her long enough for you to make an escape.

"Mina...where...are we?"

"The dorms, why?" She answered without hesitation, placing her hands on your face again "Did you hit your head again, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I think"

Your fingers wrapped around the metal, gripping it so tight your nails cracked.

"Where did everyone else go?" You asked in feigned ignorance of the murder you just watched her commit

"It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're alone and I can finally tell you something" 

"Okay...tell me"

"Ever since I laid eyes on you, I've been madly in love with you. The others made fun of me for it but I don't care anymore, I only want you in this life" She said in a barely audible whisper, she broke into a wide, wild eyed, smile "And the next"

You took the chance and swung the candlestick upwards, the thick blunt metal base collided with Mina's temple and sent her tumbling to the floor, her head bouncing of the edge of the table on the way down; urging yourself to move, you rolled off the table and hit the floor with a painful thud. The shock of landing on your bad side sent pain surging through your body; rolling over onto your stomach, you began to crawl away from Mina, it didn't matter where, all that mattered was escaping the murderess. Every single movement was agony, each time you lifted your body to drag yourself along the floor more of the bandage would unravel and expose your bleeding, infection blackened skin to the rough wooden floor; heartbeat pounding in your ears, bile rising in your throat, you fought on. 

In your rush to escape her, you had almost missed Mina stirring, her hands clutching her head as she sat up; she pressed a finger against her bleeding temple and examined the blood, putting the blood covered finger in her mouth. She swiveled around to find you slowly dragging yourself to safety. Using the table to pull herself to her feet, Mina took a step towards you, comically slipping in your blood; she once again landed on the floor with a thud, her head bouncing off the wood.  
If life hadn't been so painful at that moment, you might've laughed. As that wasn't the case, and this was deadly serious, you chose to keep moving. 

As you rounded the corner, you saw it. Rotten, age worn, damaged, wooden salvation. You forced your body to stand, dropping to your knees at the immense pain splintering through your form. On hands and knees, you inched your way in the direction of the stairs. It didn't matter where they lead. Survival mattered. Mina's voice from behind you stopped you dead in your tracks.

"Why are you running away from me!" She shouted, her voice was distorted, two voices speaking at once. "You're mine forever!"

Mina uttered an animalistic howl, her boots smashing into the wood as she barreled down on your prone form; there was silence for half a second then all hell broke loose behind you. The sound of snapping bone, tearing skin and fluids gushing from various orifices erupted from Mina's location; you dared not look for fear of dropping dead right then and there. 

Stairs.

So close.

Your fingers grazed the rotted wood of the first step. Your heart raced. If you made it up the steps and shut the door at the top, this thing would go away, you would be free and safe.

Any chance of escape faded from you mind when you felt a slick, sticky tentacle wrap around your face; the slimy appendage worked its way into your mouth and down your throat, strangling you from the inside. It forced you to turn around and face Mina or, at least, what used to be Mina. 

Standing where she once stood was a misshapen mockery of Mina, a series of black tentacles jutted from her left arm and back; it dragged you towards her, the same wide eyed smile frozen on her face. It brought you within inches of her face, lifeless eyes stared into your soul, black pits absorbing the image of you slowly suffocating in its grasp. It tightened the grip it had on your skull, a dull popping sound echoed in your head; blood pooled in the corner of your right eye, staining your vision red. The tentacle slithered further down your throat, forcing your mouth open wider; the sound of your jaw cracking under the pressure of the tentacle played through the unnaturally quiet air. The thing just watched you suffer, wriggling it's appendage lodged down your throat to fully exert its control over you; the whole time, Mina's skin mask watched you with its void black eyes. She blinked her eyes and tilted her head to the side, examining you up close; there was a strange emotion on its face. Pleasure. It was toying with you. Playing with it's prey. 

The tentacle tightened one last time before two more pitch black appendages shot out towards you, wrapping around your chest; without any effort, it hoisted you into the air and slammed you into the floor with whip fast speed. The crack of its tentacles rocketing through the air was drowned out by the crack of your skull against the floor; the thing withdrew its tentacle from your mouth and in the process of doing so, splattering the floor and walls with thick blood and bile. The world spun around you, white light flashed in your blurred vision; you coughed, sending a mist of blood and slime into the air, where it settled on your face. 

Mina slid over to you, hanging over your face; the thing detached the mask from its neck and held it above you. It pressed Mina's lips against yours in an attempt to mimic human interaction. You face had gone numb long ago yet your stomach still turned twice over at the touch of the cold, wet skin against your lips. The mask moved its mouth, black strings of slime acting as tendons, pulling the skin into various emotions; it made a noise like glass in a blender, learning to speak through the face.

"What's....wrong....why are....you...sc....scared? It asked, in a voice that was Mina's but also the other members' "Does...this...face...upset you?"

The thing pulled back the mask and reformed it, a fleshy pulp in its tentacled appendage; Jihyo's face replaced Mina's, the thing hissing and popping as it's vocal chords adjusted to Jihyo's pitch.

"This is...better yes?"

You lay upon the cold floor, slackjawed and unable to answer. You wouldn't have answered anyway, the thing didn't deserve an answer. This was how you would win, defiant until the end.

"Is this not...the right....one either?" It hissed, the thing was becoming better at speech, but it's tone was still wrong, distorted "Why don't you...speak?"

The thing wrapped a tentacle around your waist and pulled you into the air, dangling you above its face like an insect; the thing stared at you, not understanding your silence. It growled and hissed in frustration. Jihyo's face twisted into Nayeon's, except it was wrong, the hair was a different colour.

"Talk to me, please. I want to understand you" Nayeon said "I've missed you"

It threw you back down as if discarding a defective toy and slithered away from you, watching from the other side of the room; it convulsed and twitched, switching between faces, trying to find the one to break you. It paced the floor, muttering to itself in clicks and pops; you just lay on the floor staring at the ceiling, feeling cold all over. 

"Hey babe, don't let them get to you" 

You heard her voice clear, undistorted, as if it was that same morning all over again, her arm around your waist, her breath against your ear as she whispered silly things to you; maybe this was all a dream, a nightmare, maybe you would wake up and see her pointing out the scenery. Pain shot through your body, you could feel the blackened skin spreading across your torso, enveloping your arm. If you were going to die, it wouldn't be the one to kill you. It slid around you, lifting your head to meet its gaze. 

"This is the right one, isn't it?"

With the last of your strength, you spat thick, coagulated blood in its face. 

"Fuck you" you slurred, dribbling blood and teeth as your jaw hung loosely

The thing roared in unbridled fury, whipping you about as it threw a temper tantrum; it's wailing and screaming became a callous, multi pitched cackle. Multiple tentacles swarmed your form, tightening and twisting, wringing flesh from bone; it dismantled you piece by piece, laughing the whole time. The desire to pass out was strong but it's supernatural ability to keep you conscious and experiencing each strip of skin being removed, was stronger.

"I hope those last words were worth it" Sana laughed

Any pain you felt disappeared the moment it finished with it's handiwork; a pile of bones, skin and meat lay in front of the thing, what was once your body was now shredded beyond recognition. It brought you close to Sana's face, admiring it's work; it chuckled as it passed you between its tentacles, viewing you from different angles. Your vision blanked for a moment. If this was death, it wasn't so bad. If only it were death.

Your eyes opened to see stairs and a wooden door. Freedom was so close. Just past that door and you would be safe. 

The thing lurched towards the door and flung it open.

No one on the other side ran away in terror at the sight of the bubbling, hissing, black mass protruding from a mangled mess of corpses.

Instead, they greeted it.

They greeted

You

**Author's Note:**

> Hey.
> 
> Was it as good for you as it was for me?
> 
> Also, comment, leave some hate or constructive criticism.


End file.
